Does the bullet match? Key issue emerges in Charlie Kirk murder case

Defense attorneys say law enforcement has not linked a bullet found during Charlie Kirk's autopsy to the rifle allegedly used in the shooting.
N'dea Yancey-Bragg
USA TODAY
March 31, 2026, 11:10 a.m. ET
Attorneys for the man accused of fatally shooting conservative activist Charlie Kirk said a federal law enforcement agency did not connect the bullet found during autopsy to the alleged murder weapon.

Tyler Robinson has been charged with aggravated murder and other felonies in connection with Kirk's death. Kirk, 31, was shot and killed on Sept. 10 while speaking to students at Utah Valley University in Orem, Utah.

Authorities previously said the gun used to assassinate Kirk was a Mauser 98, a common bolt-action rifle typically used for hunting. The hunting rifle, which had a heavier .30-06 caliber, dates back decades as German-made military surplus with millions produced and resold in the United States, experts previously told USA TODAY.

Officials recovered the weapon near the scene of the shooting with one spent cartridge in the chamber and three unfired bullets etched with meme-influenced messages.More: What we know about the gun used in the Charlie Kirk assassination

Robinson's attorneys said in a recent court filing that they have received a summary report from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives "which indicates that the ATF was unable to identify the bullet recovered at autopsy to the rifle allegedly tied to Mr. Robinson."

"Although the State has not indicated an intent to produce this report at the preliminary hearing, the defense may very well decide to offer the testimony of the ATF firearm analyst as exculpatory evidence," the court filing said.

Robinson's attorneys said the FBI is conducting a second comparative bullet analysis and a bullet lead analysis, but it is not yet complete. The defense asked Judge Tony Graf to delay the preliminary hearing, scheduled for May, in part because the team has not yet gotten the case files and protocols related to these analyses and other evidence from prosecutors.

The defense did, however, receive a hard drive with over 600,000 files during a March 12 meeting with prosecutors, according to the court filing. That came on top of the 20,000 files they'd already gotten, which included 31 hours of audio and more than 700 hours of video.

Robinson's attorneys said it will take at least sixty days to review the evidence they have and determine if more has not yet been turned over to them.

"The defense team has devoted, and will continue to devote, significant resources to processing discovery, including identifying materials not yet received to inform readiness for the preliminary hearing," the court filing said. "However, the defense team is realistic and the comprehensive review required to determine what is missing will take hundreds of hours."

Utah County Attorney Jeff Gray has said he is seeking the death penalty for Robinson. Robinson is set to return to court on April 17 for hearing on a defense motion to ban cameras from the courtroom.


Contributing: Eduardo Cuevas